Hello creative friend!
For the next twenty Fridays (which I will be calling Freedom Friday) I will be writing about identity in Christ. These blog posts will be based on my I Am Who I Am Says I Am Journal. (I Am Journal for short!) I hope you will join me on this journey whether you own the journal or not. A journaling bible or even just a note book will serve you just fine. I’ve included a process video in this post so stay with me. There’s also a gift for you at the end. Let’s start on page one with I am greatly loved!

In my journey to finding out who I am, I have realized that I was working on over-drive trying to earn God’s approval. It wasn’t something that I was aware of and it certainly wasn’t intentional but it was something that I was living in. Without knowing it I was seeing everything through a lens that said work hard so that God will approve of you. This kind of mindset is a religious mindset and that’s not what I want in my life. Religion says that you have to work hard to have your needs met and everything has to be earned. When it comes to religion, nothing you do will ever be good enough. Actually, religion says that YOU are NEVER good enough! Religion is not what I’m after, it’s relationship that I want and crave. At a deeper level it is unconditional love that I am after. I want intimacy, the kind that only comes from a close relationship with my father in heaven. This closeness is impossible to have if I’m believing lies about how God feels about me. Imagine thinking that God is a hard task master instead of a loving father. It seems ridiculous to even type yet parts of me, deep, hidden parts of me believed this for a long time and my actions followed. I still struggle at times and need to remind myself that God is not out to get me. He’s not waiting for me to slip up and punish me nor is He constantly wanting to teach me a lesson I won’t soon forget. This is not who God is. He is a loving father and I am greatly loved! Imagine for a second that you believe that God is mean, unloving, hateful, uncaring and cruel. Imagine that he merely tolerates you and only created you to be a robotic slave for Him. How would you behave with that mindset? Now imagine that God is loving, merciful, patient and kind. Imagine that He delights in you and created you to have purpose while living an abundant life. How would you behave with this mindset?

When we believe with all our heart that we are loved, we behave like someone who is loved. When our actions are fueled by feelings of being unloved we behave accordingly. Tweet that!

The following quote is from the book Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst

Live from the abundant place that you are fully loved and you won’t find yourself begging others for scraps of love. Live loved. 

Lysa Terkeurst

What would your life look like if you lived like you knew you were loved? There’s no need to beg for scraps of love my friend, you are 100% loved by the one who matters the most.

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you believe that God loves you?
If you are believing any lies concerning God’s love, jot them down and ask Him to show you His truth.

“But God, being rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loves us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5

How much does your heart believe that God loves you? When you ask yourself this question, your head may be tempted to quickly give the textbook (bible) answer but I encourage you to dig deeper to find the truth about what you actually believe.

Here are 10 biblical declarations that you can read out loud every day. Declare truth over yourself daily and you will soon believe it! I have included a free printable for you to use, enjoy it!

That’s it for me today friends, remember that you are loved!